Method and apparatus providing additional information to an interactive voice response (IVR) system user

Abstract

A method, apparatus and computer program product for providing additional information to an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system user is presented. A call from a user is received at the IVR system, and a session is provided for the user. Additionally, a page is generated for the session. The page is communicated to the user; and is dynamically updated for the user as the user traverses menus of the IVR system.

1. A method of providing additional information to an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system user, the method comprising:
 receiving, at the IVR system, a call from a user; 
 providing a session for the user; 
 generating a page for said session; 
 communicating the page to the user; and 
 dynamically updating the page for said user as said user traverses menus of said IVR system, wherein said dynamically updating the page for said user as said user traverses menus of said IVR system comprises providing meta information relating to an IVR menu traversed by said user. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  further comprising ending the call. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2  further comprising at least one of the group consisting of deleting said page, storing said page for a predetermined period of time, and emailing the page to the user. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  wherein said generating a page for said session comprises generating an HyperText Mark-up Language (HTML) page and wherein said communicating the page to the user comprises providing a Universal Resource Locator (URL) of the HTML page to said user. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4  wherein said providing a URL of the HTML page to said user comprises one of the group consisting of reading the URL to the user by said IVR and sending a Short Message Service (SMS) message to said user. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  wherein said generating a page comprises generating a page including at least one of the group consisting of plain text, a link to another page, video, audio, a flash image and attachments. 
     
     
       7. A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer readable code thereon for providing additional information to an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system user, the medium comprising:
 instructions for receiving, at the IVR system, a call from a user; 
 instructions for providing a session for the user; 
 instructions for generating a page for said session; 
 instructions for communicating the page to the user; and 
 instructions for dynamically updating the page for said user as said user traverses menus of said IVR system, wherein said dynamically updating the page for said user as said user traverses menus of said IVR system comprises providing meta information relating to an IVR menu traversed by said user. 
 
     
     
       8. The computer readable medium of  claim 7  further comprising instructions for ending the call. 
     
     
       9. The computer readable medium of  claim 8  further comprising instructions for at least one of the group consisting of deleting said page, storing said page for a predetermined period of time, and emailing the page to the user. 
     
     
       10. The computer readable medium of  claim 7  wherein said instructions for generating a page for said session comprises instructions for generating a HyperText Mark-up Language (HTML) page and wherein said communicating the page to the user comprises providing a Universal Resource Locator (URL) of the HTML page to said user. 
     
     
       11. The computer readable medium of  claim 10  wherein said instructions for providing a URL of the HTML page to said user comprises instructions for one of the group consisting of reading the URL to the user by said IVR and sending a Short Message Service (SMS) message to said user. 
     
     
       12. The computer readable medium of  claim 7  wherein said instructions for generating a page comprises instructions for generating a page including at least one of the group consisting of plain text, a link to another page, video, audio, a flash image and attachments. 
     
     
       13. A computer system comprising:
 a memory; 
 a processor; 
 a communications interface; 
 an interconnection mechanism coupling the memory, the processor and the communications interface; and 
 wherein the memory is encoded with an application providing additional information to an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system user, that when performed on the processor, provides a process for processing information, the process causing the computer system to perform the operations of: 
 receiving, at the IVR system, a call from a user; 
 providing a session for the user; 
 generating a page for said session; 
 communicating the page to the user; and 
 dynamically updating the page for said user as said user traverses menus of said IVR system, wherein said dynamically updating the page for said user as said user traverses menus of said IVR system comprises providing meta information relating to an IVR menu traversed by said user. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13  further comprising ending the call. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14  further comprising at least one of the group consisting of deleting said page, storing said page for a predetermined period of time, and emailing the page to the user. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 13  wherein said generating a page for said session comprises generating a HyperText Mark-up Language (HTML) page and wherein said communicating the page to the user comprises providing a Universal Resource Locator (URL) of the HTML page to said user. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16  wherein said providing a URL of the HTML page to said user comprises one of the group consisting of reading the URL to the user by said IVR and sending a Short Message Service (SMS) message to said user. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 13  wherein said generating a page comprises generating a page including at least one of the group consisting of plain text, a link to another page, video, audio, a flash image and attachments. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 1  wherein said page is accessed by said user while said user is navigating a menu of said IVR system. 
     
     
       20. The computer readable medium of  claim 7  wherein said page is accessed by said user while said user is navigating a menu of said IVR system. 
     
     
       21. The computer system of  claim 13  wherein said page is accessed by said user while said user is navigating a menu of said IVR system.